NEWPORT County boss Peter Nicholas has warned FAW Premier Cup opponents Wrexham not to take his team of part-timers lightly.

The former Wales captain has already put one over his former employers Swansea City and Sam Hamman's big-spending Cardiff City.

Now he's going for a Nationwide League hat-trick against the Dragons, who beat Rhyl 4-0 in their semi-final this week.

Both the Swans and the Bluebirds fielded weakened teams, hoping that it would be enough to progress into the next round.

But Nicholas and his men had other ideas, leaving egg on the faces of the professional sides, reaching a final which could net the Dr Martens League outfit around &#xA3;100,000 if they win.

Nicholas, who has already cast his eye over the Dragons, said: "It's a great competition to win and the financial rewards to a club like ours could be a telling factor on next season's league campaign.

"Wrexham start as the favourites, but so were Swansea City and Cardiff City to beat us. They were good nights for the club and we hope there are more to follow.

"And if Wrexham don't show us the respect we deserve, then they could get their fingers burned.

"When an amateur side faces a professional team, nine times out of 10 the pro outfit is going to win. But there is that one game that gives you hope.

"You only need a couple of the opposition not to turn up for the fight and for things to start to go wrong.

That's when the opposition start to grow in confidence.

"Football is all about confidence and, in the first 20 minutes, it is vital not to concede," added Nicholas.

"We must have time to work

ourselves into the game.

"One thing is certain, we will do our best as we have always done. The players will be prepared like professionals and all the set-pieces and groundwork will be covered."

The date of the game has not been fixed, with Wrexham involved in a Division Three promotion battle, but Nicholas hopes it will be played on May 8, rather than the possible May